AMBALA: The Haryana unit of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) lead by its state president Gurnam Singh Charuni has been conducting regular Gram Sabhas (village gatherings) with the farmers throughout the state for an upcoming political rally in Pipli of Kurukshetra on February 3. On November 21, the BKU in a state-level meeting at Jaat Dharamshala had decided that from now onwards, the organisation would become a political outfit and it would also be contesting elections in Haryana. BKU Ambala media coordinator Rajiv Sharma said, “The rally at Pipli is a political rally of the farmers’ union and the motive behind shifting to politics is that the political regimes of the state have failed to address the issues related to the farmers.” When asked a question about new Mahindra Bolero car purchased by the BKU Haryana Charuni group, Rajiv said, “The car has been purchased in the name of Ambala district committee of the union for supporting the farmers’ revolution. The car was purchased with the inconvenience fund of Rs 5 lakh taken from the Naraingarh Sugar mill.” Charuni told TOI, “The past and present governments have failed miserably to work for the welfare of farmers, who are being exploited everywhere in the state and country. BKU had been an apolitical organisation, but on November 21 after a discussion with the farmers' leaders in a state-level meeting, the decision was taken to convert BKU to a political outfit so it could participate in forming policies in the favour of farmers.”

“Till date, we have conducted more than 150 Gram Sabhas with the farmers of the districts Ambala, Kurukshetra and Yamunanagar, and up to February 2, we have planned to cover entire state for these gatherings. The purpose is to aware farmers about the stand of the government and to invite them to the upcoming political rally of BKU (Haryana) on February 3 in Pipli”, added Charuni. On the other side, a parallel faction of BKU (Haryana) which claims to be the actual registered body of the farmers headed by its state president Rattan Mann alleges the Charuni faction of using the name of their registered organisation for the means of politics. On January 21, Mann has also given a written representation to the District Collector (DC) SS Phulia against the Charuni faction and asked the administration to not allow them to conduct a rally on February 3, as they are using the logo of their organisation for the political motives.